Mining planer



J. HERRMANN MINING PLANER May 15, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 15, 1953 INVENTOR ATTORNEY May 15, 956 J. HERRMANN 2,745,651

MINING PLANER Filed June 15, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR JUL /U$ HERE MAN/V ATTORNEY y 5, 1956 J. HERRMANN 2,745,651

MINING PLANER Filed June 15, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet s O @iJLL O O A wooo ewes-4E1 IE] VFZ D00 0 6 25 J J J 11 ,M 3% STEEL JACKS J lllllllll COAL PLANER cHAmJfn" O O O VVV PLANERQO 2 3 INVENIOR JUL/US HERRMANN ATTORNEY United States MINING PLANER Julius Herrmann, Wethmar, near Lunen, Westphalia, Germany, assignor to Gewerkschaft Eisenhuette Westfaha, Lunen, Germany, a German corporation Application June 15, 1953, Serial .No. 361,753

Claims priority, application France July 8, 1947 Claims. i(Cl..2,628)

This invention relates to an improved mining planer and is a continuation-in-part of U. S. patent application Serial No. 29,432, filed May 27, 1948, now abandoned.

A'certaintype mining planer comprises.aplanercutting head which is movable in either direction alongside .a

.the. planer cutting head isdrawn back andforth along the conveyor. The planer thereby cuts and turns .or plows cut material in a substantially continuous manner into the conveyor which, in turn, continuously transports the material for removal. The planer head is ,rigidly mounted on abase member and is drawn back and forth along the conveyor by means of relatively flexible traction elements, such as chainsor cables attached to the side of the base member and actuated by suitable drive means. In each direction of travel, one of the cutting edges is in cutting position, while the other is dragged along the mine face.

This entails a waste of power and often. causes operational difliculties.

It .was not possible to uniformly and reliably obtain a clean much the mine shaft 'floor. Very often, as, for

example, in coal mining, the planer wouldlleave coal undetached from the shaft floor. .This wasparticularly true with respect to hard spots, over which theplaner'head would ride rather than remove the same.

In addition, with the rigid head construction, the optimum cutting angle could not be maintained on both cutting edges.

One object of this invention is to overcome the abovementioned difficulties and provide a planer'headin which the non-cutting edge in any particular direction of travel will not drag along themine face and'interfere'in operation, and in which an optimum cutting angle maybe maintained for both .cutting edges when in .operation. 'Ihese,a.ndstill further objects will become apparent'from the following description read in conjunction with the drawings, in which Fig. l showsa side elevation partially in section "of a mining-planer in accordance with the invention;

Fig.2 shows-a top elevation of-the'planen'shown in Fig. 1;

'Fig. 3 showsa perspective view of the planer-head and basememberofFig. -1 showing therelation'ship of the P Fig. 4 shows a sideelevation partially in section of a --diiferent'embodiment of a planer;

Fig. 5 shows a'top elevation of 'the'planer shown in ice Fig. 6 shows a perspective view of the planer head shownin Fig.4;

Fig. 7;shows a detailed view of a different embodiment of a pivot joint in accordance with the invention; and

Fig. 8 shows adiagrammaticrepresentation of .a complete planer unit inoperation.

The planer in accordance with the invention is .provided with ,a planing head having two cutting edges arranged to cut in substantially opposite directions. Abase member is provided which is adapted to .bedrawn back and forth along the longitudinally extending conveyor in either direction and is preferably guidedalong the forward portion of the conveyor, as, for example, ona guide rail. The planer head is pivotally mounted on the base member for pivoting within a limited arc of pivot, sothat one of the cutting edgesis tilted into non-cuttingp sifion and the otherinto cutting position when the planer head is moved in cutting contact and in the cuttingdirection for the last-mentioned edge. Thus, in one direction of travel ofthe planer head one of the cutting edges will be pivoted into the optimum cutting position and the other willbe tiltedout of the way so that it willnot drag along the mine face and impede the operation. When tbe direction of travel of the planer head is reversed, the same will pivot on thebase member so that the situation ,is exactly reversed. The term cutting edges is used to generically define the cutting portion of the planer head. These cutting edges, for example, may be collectively. de-

.finedby a multiple number of individual knivesor chisels.

-Within thepreferred embodiment of the'invention the ,planerhead is so pivotally mounted on the'base member within a limited arc of pivot, that. one of thecutting edges will be tilted upward into a non-cutting position and the other tilted .downward into a cutting position when the planer head is moved in cutting contact and in cutting direction for the last-mentioned edge. This, for example, may be obtained by having the ,pivot axisinclined in a forward direction to thereby efiectuate downward selfadjustment of the edge which is in cutting position. In

this manner a substantially clean and even cut with respect to the shaft floor is assured.

Though the invention is described in the following as preferably applied to the mining of coal, it may be usedfor the mining of other types of minerals.

The conveyor comprises multiple, preferably flexibly connected sections A, each having two lateralsectionsl and 2, and a conveyor bottom Ksubstantiallyforming a trough. Parallel, spaced-apart flights ofscraper bars 4 are continuously drawn along the upper surface of the bottomportions 3 and returned alongthe under surfaces of the latter'by means of endless chains '5 and *6 -moved by asuitable-drive-(not shown). As the flightsofscrapers are drawn along the bottom portion -3, coalis pushed along and conveyed.

A guide member in theform of. a guide track 9 extends longitudinally along the leading edgeof-the conveyor and is attached to the conveyor.

An apron 8 forms an inclined surface over which coal cut by the planer head is guided into the-conveyor. Such an apron or similar inclined guide surface-is not,'however, essential to operation and the shape of the-planer alone may serve to guide the coal cutinto the conveyor.

A base member 7 is positioned to slide back and-forth along the leading edge of the conveyor in the guide track 9. 'As shown in Figs. 1,2 and 3, the base member 7 has the guide beam 10 connected thereto, which is guided in-the track 9. A flexible traction element-such as-a cable,-rope or-chain is-attached to both sides of the base member for pulling the base member in one or the other direction. As shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3,-the flexible tractionelement is in the form of a cable which is'attached tothe end of "the guide beam 10. The flexible traction-element may 'two vertical cutting edges are defined by a be actuated by any suitable reversible drive means (not shown) and may be endless and return in the hollow portion of the apron 3.

The planer head 12 is pivotally mounted on the base member by means of a pivot post 13 extending upwardly from the base member through the pivot aperture 14 defined in the planer head 12. The axis of pivot is the axis of the pivot post 13.

The second post 16 is connected to the base member and extends into a slot 15 defined in the planer head. The movement of the slot relative to the post 16 defines the limited arc of pivot of the planer head. The

, planer head has two opposed vertical edges 17 and 18 for cutting in opposite directions of travel.

The planer head may be pivotally connected to the base member in any other desired manner and thus,

for example, as shown in Fig. 7, a post or pin 13 may be connected to the head, which pin extends into an aperture 14 defined in the base member. In the same manner, any known. or conventional pivot connection of suitable strength may be used.

The limiting of the arc of pivot of the planer head on the base member need not be effected by separate stop means such as the pin 16 and slot 15, but may be effected by dimensioning of the planer head and base member so that the planer head will contact the base member after the desired arc of pivot thus limiting the same. In the same manner the arc of pivot may be limited, by any conventional stop means or by any suitable dimensioning of the planer head to strike a nonpivotable portion of the planer at the two extremities of the act of pivot, thus limiting it.

In operation of the mining planer it is often difficult to detach the mineral such as coal from the mine floor.

This is particularly true when using a planer in which the planer head is rigidly attached to the base member. In order to overcome this difficulty in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the applicants invention, the axis of pivot of the planer head is inclined somewhat in a forward direction. This construction allows the planer head, when pivoting within the limited arc of pivoting, to tilt one of the cutting edges upwardly into a non-cutting position and the other downwardly into a cutting position when moving the planer head in cutting contact in a cutting direction for the last-mentioned edge. This allows downward self-adiustment of the edge which is in cutting position, so that it glides sharply over the mine floor and may even scratch the same a .little. This overcomes the prior-encountered difficulty of detaching the mineral such as coal from the mine floor.

As shown in the drawings, the axis of the pivot post which defines the axis of pivot between the pivot head and base member is positioned in a vertical plane and is inclined forward slightly, so that the same almost forms a'right angle .with the inclined surface 8.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, the base member has a guide beam 19, which is guided in track 9. The guide beam is slightly tapered at its ends,

'which allows a slight horizontal tilting thereof in the guide track 9.

An under plate or sword 24) attached to the base member extends beneath the conveyor and travels with the base member. The under plate or sword extends beneath the conveyor and the weight of the conveyor rests thereon. This under plate will maintain the vertical positioning of the planer head and base member and prevent the same from rising or creeping upwardly during operation or lifting from the mine floor during operation. The under plate or sword may additionally serve to detach coal from the shaft floor and to scrape the same clean, and for this function may be provided with an edge on each side.

In the embodiments shown in Figs. 4, and 6, the multiple number of vertically positioned cutting chisels 21, which may be positioned in a step-like manner.

The base member in this embodiment defines .a tubular channel 22 therethrough. A tubular guide rail 23 is positioned along the forward portion of the conveyor. In operation, the base member is positioned on the guide rail so that the guide rail extends through the tubular channel and the base member is positively guided along the guide rail.

The planer head with the cutting edges defined by the cutting chisels is pivotally mounted upon the base member for tilting within a limited arc of pivot in the same manner as in the embodiment shown in Fig. 1. The axis of pivot is in a vertical plane and preferably inclined in a forward direction.

The base member and/ or the forward portion of the conveyor and/or the guide member on which the base member is guided along the conveyor define an inclined path into the conveyor adjacent the planer head, so that the mineral cut by the cutting edges will be guided into the conveyor.

In operation, the conveyor is positioned longitudinally along a mineral mine face such as the solid coal face 26 (Fig. 8) in a long-wall panel. Removable mine props 24 are positioned behind the conveyor. The conveyor is urged forward, as, for example, by multiple pneumatic jacks 25 positioned along the conveyor. The flexible traction element 11, such as a chain or cable, is pulled by means of a suitable drive means 27. This pulls the base member and thus the planer head. The planer head is drawn along the entire mine face along the conveyor in first one direction and then the opposite direction. As the planer head is pulled in each direction, the pressure and force of the cutting edges on the mine face will automatically cause the head to tilt into the correct position. The non-cutting edge, i. e., the following edge in the direction of travel, is automatically tilted out of the way, and the cutting edge, i. e., the leading edge in the direction of travel, is tilted into the optimum cutting position. if the axis of pivot is inclined forward slightly, the cutting edge, i. e., the leading edge in the direction of travel, will be tilted downwardly and efficiently remove the coal from the mine floor while the non-cutting edge, i. e., the following edge in the direction of travel, will be tilted upwardly out of the way. As the base member of the planer head is drawn back and forth along the mine face, the planer head with its cutting edges will strip or plane layers of coal, as from the solid coal face in the long-wall panel. The coal so planed off will then be turned or plowed into the conveyor which automatically, continuously removes the same. The height of the planer should normally be /2% of the seam thickness. The top coal will break down, due to its own weight, and drop into the conveyor after being undercut. The height of the planer head and the cutting edges may be varied by adding or removing extension pieces.

The sections A of the conveyor are connected to each other so as to allow a limited flexing at the connections in a vertical and horizontal direction. The entire conveyor will thus be somewhat flexible and will to a certain extent follow the contour of the mine floor and the mine face.

The pneumatic jacks 25 are maintained under a continuous pneumatic pressure and thus continuously force the conveyor toward the mine face. This maintains the planer head in cutting contact with the mine face and automatically shifts the conveyor forward toward the mine face as the planer head is drawn back and forth and coal is planed off from the face and removed by the conveyor. The planer will therefore continuously move forward and plane away the mine face. A suitable working space is maintained about the conveyor by means of the mine props 24. Generally, as the conveyor advances into the mine face removing the same, the back row of jacks are removed and shifted to the forward position. The mine ceiling which is supported by this back row of jacks then begins to collapse, and as the machine continuously moves forward into the mine face, the shifting or robbing of the jacks causes the mine area back of the conveyor to collapse and only a working space as defined by the jacks is continuously maintained.

The planer unit is a continuous mining machine and will continuously mine coal from a solid face, plow the coal into the conveyor, convey the coal to any suitable discharge, as, for example, additional conveyors 28, such as chain or belt conveyors, wherefrom the coal is deposited into cars or the like.

I claim:

1. In a mining planer having a planer cutter movable back and forth along the forward portion of a longitudinally extending conveyor, the improvement which comprises guide means positioned along the forward portion of said conveyor, a base member movably positioned for back and forth motion along said guide means in guided relation thereto, a planer head, having two planing cutting edges thereon arranged to cut in substantially opposite directions, pivotally mounted on said base member about an axis of pivot lying in a substantially vertical plane and inclined forwardly in the direction transverse of the path of the planer head to permit pivoting of the planer head within a limited arc of pivot to tilt one of said cutting edges upwardly and into a non-cutting position, and the other edge downwardly and into a cutting position when moving the planer head in cutting contact in the direction of said last-mentioned edge, and means for moving said base member back and forth along said conveyor.

2. Improvement according to claim 1, in which said planer head is pivotally mounted about a pivot post connected to said base member.

3. Improvement according to claim 2, in which said pivot post lies in a substantially vertical plane and is inclined forwardly in a direction transverse to the path of the planer head to permit the downward self-adjustment of the edge, which is in cutting position.

4. Improvement according to claim 1, in which said planer head is connected to a pivot extending into a pivot aperture defining said base member.

5. Improvement according to claim 4, in which said pivot post lies in a substantially vertical plane and is inclined forwardly in a direction transverse to the path of the planer head to permit downward self-adjustment of the edge, which is in cutting position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,085,756 Joy July 6, 1937 FOREIGN PATENTS 642,686 Germany Mar. 12, 1937 OTHER REFERENCES Bureau of Mines, Information Circular #7377, Design and Operation of the Coal Planer, Ruhr District, Germany, by J. W. Buck, published October 1946. See especially page 8 and Figures 10a, 10b, 12, 17 and 19a. 

